Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!watmath!grand!rwwetmore
From: rwwetmore@grand.waterloo.edu (Ross Wetmore)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: Canada: one or two cultures?
Message-ID: <27944@watmath.waterloo.edu>
Date: 24 Jul 89 16:17:40 GMT
References: <615662921.9256@myrias.uucp> <568@UALTAVM.BITNET> <604@philmtl.philips.ca> <89Jul19.104948edt.18727@me.utoronto.ca> <609@philmtl.philips.ca> <1989Jul24.085326.28706@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
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In article <1989Jul24.085326.28706@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> elf@dgp.toronto.edu (Eugene Fiume) writes:
>In article <609@philmtl.philips.ca> tremblay@philmtl.philips.ca (Michel J. Tremblay) writes:
>>I dont know how you can talk about 'our (canadian) culture' without using
>>plurial.  
>I don't believe distinctive "cultures" are possible in young countries, at
>least not like the cultures that have developed elsewhere over many
>centuries.  
  Until the sixties Quebecois culture was largely rural, introspective and
completely dominated by the Catholic church. English presence in such areas
as commerce or other extroverted activities was largely by default, as can
be seen with the rapidity of its purging once the inhabitants shucked the
church's restraints and decided to do so. Some of side effects of the 
rebellion against the Church are the fall in the birthrate within the 
province, and the very materialistic and modernistic outlook that has 
replaced the former culture.
  In short Quebec 'culture' is in its adolescent stage, demanding to be
recognized as an adult, and given all the privileges of an adult. They believe
they have all the answers and a new way (though obviously the backlash from
some of their education policies which are turning out multi-ethnic rather 
than french only show that not all the answers were completely thought 
through). In short, it behooves the rest of the country to bear with them
while they go through the maturing process and debate whether to leave home
and strike out on their own, or stick around and milk mom and pop for all
they can. Kids do grow up, and so do cultures and for the most part they
grow up to be responsible and far less self-centered than one would ever
guess from their teen years. The trick is to outlast this stage.

>Language is an over-rated cultural factor.
  Obviously you have little understanding of la Francophonie, or countries
which have a government department to oversee the purity of their language.

>Eugene Fiume

  It behooves (Western) Canadians who share a more American homogeneous
melting pot type of culture, not to overlook the fact that though there
may be an overlying Canadian patina, there are a lot of different roots
to Canadian culture, and in some cases the roots are buried less deep
than others.

  However, having said all this, Quebec culture produces an awful lot of
obnoxious bastards at the moment, doesn't it :-?

Ross W. Wetmore                 | rwwetmore@water.NetNorth
University of Waterloo          | rwwetmore@math.Uwaterloo.ca
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